Monday, January 4, 2010

Money Saving Tips

It just occurred to me that I saved a great deal of money in 2009 (and by save I mean didn't spend unnecessarily, not put away for good use. More on that tomorrow).

Read the comments here for ideas on secondary income. & read the comments here on how to go for the cheap.

Below find some things I did to save in 2009.

10. Only went to the beauty shop twice (this could also be called learned to do my own hair, either way)

9. Cut out manis, pedis and Brazillian waxes except for vacations (and/or warm weather work trips)8. Stopped paying full price for designer jeans. I still wear designer jeans, but instead of getting them at discount or even clearance prices, I get them at consignment shops (also called the low-low). My faves are Elliott's Consignment and the Brown Elephant (both in Lakeview, holla at me if you want to make a visit)7. Stopped taking my designer jeans to the cleaners. I wash them in the washing machine like cheap jeans, it's really not that big a deal.6. Stopped going to the cleaners once a week, instead more like once a month. I hardly noticed a difference.5. Got my clothes cleaned at the $2.29 per garment cleaners. Despite the four-block walk from my house, it's worth it every time. (If I need to clean special occasion garments, those go to a full-price cleaners)4. Paid my $30 fine and started using my local library. I'd had that fine for at least 2 years. If you decide to pay an old fine though, be smarter than me and find out when the Library's grace day is. They have one day a year that they'll excuse your fines (or you pay a penny or something like that).3. Signed up for direct check with Peapod. I got $5 off the first time, then $1 off every order I use direct check. (I also use coupons, though I'm not committed to coupon-clipping. I didn't even know Peapod let you use coupons, but they do.)2. Started checking my calendar. My network is large, so I get a lot of invites. I HAD to start saying no. No one invites me to fewer events because I couldn't make it to something they hosted. No one stops being my friend because I couldn't make it to something they hosted. EVERYONE living has a birthday. I CANNOT celebrate with everyone every year. Nope, can't do it.

Also, important to note (to myself): just because I'm invited to something doesn't mean I WANT to go. I have this bad. Making all kinds of plans to go to something with associates (not friends or family member, associates). Yeah, my calendar was definitely checked & revamped in 2009.1. Noted luxuries as such. Coldstone Icecream, Starbucks Coffee, facials, massages, full-priced books, etc. Those things are treats, not necessities. And so I get them if I'm rewarding myself, not on a regular basis. Otherwise, foot scrub, a coat of polish and a library book will do. It just doesn't make sense to waste money like that.

1 comment:

u just documented my life. well i only had two pairs of "expensive" jeans and one pair i ended up throwing away, but watever. id add store coupons and rewards programs, winning blog contests for things i have time to wait on, and networking (getting male aquaintences to buy drinks and meals occassionally and putting gas in my car).

Welcome!

I always had a plethora of Facebook notes, so I figured it was time to cross over into the blogosphere. Here I talk about everything from paying down debt (First credit cards, then student loans) to relationships to politics (Go PRESIDENT Obama!) to sports (GO BEARS!) to sermon notes to people and things that irk me to the random moments that make up my extremely blessed life.

Hit me anytime at teaandsuch@gmail.com. (I barely check it though, so send me a comment letting me know you sent the email.)